Angel of Equality (IWSC)
by Miss Hourigan
Summary: My first IWSC story, and for season 2, round 2 of the comp! Hermione sends a letter to the head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and it changes everything! Slight AU. More info inside


**Story Title: Angel of Equality**

**School and Theme: Ilvermorny, ****Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures**

**Main Prompt: [Quote] "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." - Sirius Black (GOF) (Characters that actually have a role in the story {aside from Hermione} do not know who said the quote)**

**Additional Prompts: [Setting] Wizengamot**

**Year: 7th year**

**Wordcount: 1092**

**Differences to canon: Head of Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (Louise Barnes, not Gethsemane Prickle)**

* * *

Louise Barnes was working at her desk, when she opened a letter. The letter was written by a Miss Hermione Granger.

_To whoever this may concern,_

_I am writing this letter to inform you of the severe discrimination against and poor treatment of house-elves going too far. Recently at the Quidditch World Cup, Mr. Amos Diggory was speaking to Mr. Bartemius Crouch's recently fired house-elf, Winky. Mr. Diggory was continuously calling Winky 'elf', and she was later fired because she left Mr. Crouch's tent when she was told not to, and was in possession of a wand. Winky is scared of heights, and so should not have been punished this way. Similarly, she was ordered by Mr. Crouch to save him a seat in the Top Box during the game, but he never turned up. _

_I personally believe that there should be some new laws in regards to the treatment of house-elves by wizarding families. I believe that there should be one that talks about addressing the house-elf with his/her proper name, not by 'elf', and another one where it states that house-elves are able to be in possession of a wand if their master/mistress told them to collect it for them. I also believe that if a house-elf is scared of something, they do not have to do the jobs that require them to face their fears unless they wish to do those jobs._

_I know a man who said "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." This man said this to my two friends, and I, to help us understand how to tell if people are really as respectable as they seem. _

_Take for example, a muggle man in charge of a business. He could treat his workers in two ways: he could treat them as his equals, or he could treat them as slaves. If the man was to treat his workers like his equals, even if he is not rich, he is a respectable man, as he treats everyone the same way, both his equals, inferiors, and superiors. If the man treated his workers like slaves, then even if he is rich, he is not respectable, as he is only polite to people that could benefit himself, or his business._

_Some politicians may be accused criminals, but because they put their money in other people's pockets and gained the favour of important people, they stayed out of prison and rose in power. These people do not work hard for their money, but rather do the bare minimum work to keep their job. There are other people, who are extremely poor and love their job (similar to house-elves), that do not get payed much, when they do as much work as possible to get a bonus, but they never receive it. It works similarly with the wizarding world. For example, some politicians would do as little as possible and get paid a lot and be very well respected, while house-elves, who do as much as possible, are treated like filth and nothing more._

_I hope that you, whoever you are, will do the right thing for the benefit of all magical species._

_Sincerely,_

_Hermione Granger_

As soon as Louise finished reading the letter, she drafted a letter to the Wizengamot, asking for a few new laws...

**-*Time Skip*- -*1 week later*-**

Louise was called into the Wizengamot to present her ideas and reasons for the new law suggestions. She felt so nervous but pushed her feelings down to get the job over and done with.

**-*Time Skip*- -*After Wizengamot Session*-**

The Wizengamot Session was finally over, and Louise couldn't be happier with the result. There were some new laws that meant that all magical creatures were to be treated the same or a fine or prison sentence would occur. There were also laws that enabled the workers in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to keep track of which house-elves worked where, so Ministry officials called them by their name, not 'elf'. She would later become one of the best Heads of Department the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had ever seen.

**-*Time Skip*- -*15 years later*-**

Louise Barnes was finally meeting Hermione Granger, now the Minister for Magic, after 15 years. She was so nervous she started pacing and could not sit or stand still. When she was finally called into the office, she took a moment to calm her nerves and walked in.

"Hello, Miss Barnes. It is nice to meet you."

"It is nice to meet you too, Minister."

"Oh please, call me Hermione. You helped bring equality among magical beings, and when I found out about the inequality, that was all I wanted. You made a much bigger impact than you realise."

"Oh? How much bigger of an impact?"

"House-elves are learning how to face fears because of the laws you pushed for, enabling them to adapt to situations easier, and they have realised this. Some house-elves are calling you their saviour, to an extent."

"Really? I didn't expect that. And anyway, you sent me the letter, which pushed me to do everything I did."

"I didn't actually expect someone to follow through on my ideas though, and I just gave you a little nudge, you did the rest. You were the one that pushed for the equality laws, and the records of house-elves, and everything else to do with equality between magical beings. So, although I had the first idea, you deserve the credit. I didn't even follow up on what I wrote, in terms of checking things. I just followed the press, but thank you for keeping me anonymous, as I didn't exactly want to deal with the press at that time."

**-*Time Skip*- -*200 years later*-**

"-and that is the story of your 6-times-great grandmother, Louise Barnes." Aleksandra Barnes concluded.

"Did Louisa marry and have kids?" Liam, Aleksandra's son, asked.

"Louisa did not marry, but she did raise some kids, who took on her surname."

"So she adopted kids?" Lou, Aleksandra's daughter, asked.

"Correct."

"What were their names?"

"Kaitlan, Simon, Aleksandra, and Damon, I believe."

"Were you named after Aleksandra, mum?"

"Yes. Yes, I was. Now, what do I always tell you?"

"_If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals._" Lou and Liam chorused, smiling along with Aleksandra.


End file.
